You probably remember the first time you saw Margot Robbie on the big screen. It was 2013, and The Wolf of Wall Street was blowing everyone's minds with its sheer, unadulterated chaos. But one scene in particular became the talk of every water cooler in the country. We're talking about the nursery scene—the moment Naomi Lapaglia decides to teach Jordan Belfort a lesson he’ll never forget.
A lot of people assume that Hollywood directors just force young actresses into these positions. It's a cynical view, and honestly, often a true one. But the story behind the Margot Robbie full frontal moment is actually the complete opposite. It wasn’t Martin Scorsese’s idea. In fact, he tried to give her an out.
The Robe That Never Was
When they were getting ready to film that iconic confrontation in the nursery, Scorsese actually approached Robbie with a compromise. He told her she could wear a robe. He wanted her to feel comfortable, especially since she was only 22 and relatively new to the Hollywood machine.
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Robbie’s response? A flat-out no.
She basically told the legendary director that a robe would ruin the character. In her eyes, Naomi wasn't the type of woman to hide. "The whole point is that she’s going to come out completely naked—that’s the card she’s playing," Robbie explained in a recent interview on the Talking Pictures podcast. For her, the nudity wasn't about being sexy for the sake of the audience; it was Naomi’s "currency." It was a power move.
Tequila Shots and Family Lies
Even though she was the one who insisted on the Margot Robbie full frontal scene, she wasn't exactly fearless. Behind the scenes, the nerves were real. She’s admitted to knocking back three shots of tequila at 9:00 AM just to get through the day. Imagine being in a room with 30 crew members—mostly men—and having to perform one of the most vulnerable scenes of your life. It’s not exactly the glamorous "movie magic" we see on the screen.
Then there was the family situation.
Margot actually lied to her family about the nudity for a long time. She told them there was no nudity at all. When the rumors started flying, she changed her story to "it’s a body double" or "they used CGI to put my head on someone else’s body." Eventually, the movie came out, and well, the truth was out there. One of her brothers didn't speak to her for three months afterward. Not because he was angry, but because he just needed a minute to process seeing his sister in that context.
Why She Says "Disgusting" to Gratuitous Nudity
Robbie has a very specific philosophy on this stuff. She’s gone on record saying that "nudity for the sake of nudity is shameful." If a script just wants a girl to take her top off to boost ratings, she finds it disgusting.
But what she finds equally "disgusting" is when a scene clearly calls for someone to be naked—like getting out of bed—and they’re suddenly wearing a bra or clutching a sheet to their chest in a way that looks totally fake. She hates the "choreographed" look of modesty when it doesn't make sense for the story.
This commitment to realism is what led her to push for the Margot Robbie full frontal shot. She felt that if Naomi was trying to dominate Jordan in that moment, she wouldn't be half-covering herself. She would be standing there, fully exposed, using her body as a weapon of psychological warfare.
The "Merkin" Room Secrets
While we're on the subject of realism, Robbie shared some hilarious (and kind of weird) details about the production. Because The Wolf of Wall Street was a period piece set in the 80s and 90s, they had to deal with the "aesthetic" of that era.
Apparently, there was an entire "merkin room" on set. For the uninitiated, a merkin is basically a wig for your nether regions. Because the modern "look" is different from the 80s, the hair and makeup department had a whole collection of these things for the actors to choose from. It's one of those weird Hollywood details that makes you realize how much work goes into things you’d never even think about.
Beyond the Wolf: Babylon and Body Autonomy
Years later, Robbie faced similar questions when she filmed Babylon. That movie was a wild, hedonistic fever dream of 1920s Hollywood. It had drugs, elephants, and yes, a lot of nudity.
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Critics and audiences were divided on Babylon, but Robbie’s performance as Nellie LaRoy was praised for being "magnetic" and "unpredictable." Just like with Naomi, she threw herself into the role without hesitation. She even had to tell director Damien Chazelle to scale back on the cocaine props because they were "the size of hot dogs."
It’s clear that Robbie views her body as a tool for her craft. Whether she’s playing a Brooklyn "Duchess" or a chaotic silent film star, she makes the calls. She’s not being exploited; she’s the one in the driver's seat.
The Takeaway for Fans and Creators
So, what can we actually learn from how Margot Robbie handles these scenes? It’s not just about the gossip.
- Character first: Nudity should always serve the story. If it doesn't add to the character's power or vulnerability, it's probably unnecessary.
- Set your boundaries: Even when Robbie decided to go full frontal, it was her choice. She knew when to say no (like to the robe) and when to say yes.
- Professionalism over "Sexy": Sex scenes are rarely sexy to film. They are technical, awkward, and involve a lot of tequila and "merkin rooms."
If you're interested in the technical side of how these scenes are handled today, look into the rise of Intimacy Coordinators. While they weren't common when Wolf of Wall Street was filmed, they are now a standard part of Hollywood to ensure actors feel safe and in control, just like Robbie did when she made her big debut.